Miley Cyrus Gives ‘Party in the U.S.A.’ a Twangy Reboot

Go back a few years and imagine Miley Cyrus’ “Party in the U.S.A.," but cut to suit a hole-in-the-wall saloon in Texas. That’s the vibe she came up with for this performance in the backyard of her Rainbow Studios for BBC Radio — and it totally works.

Cyrus has gone through several iterations of musical style since her Disney days, but she keeps the heart of each persona with her as she moves on. This performance is no exception. Having emerged from her twerk-tastic phase into a more subtle, pop singer-songwriter stage of her career, Cyrus took her pure-pop mega hit “Party in the U.S.A.,” stripped it down, added a pedal steel but kept its reggae soul for this version.

Wearing simply an oversized Elvis T-shirt and a slew of accessories, the singer belts the notes with gusto in a way that continues to surprise even her harshest critics. There’s no doubt about it — girl can sing. Cyrus has two background vocalists on stage with her providing the harmonies and some camaraderie for the twangy, country-laced tune, and her laid back confidence is prominent as she sings the song from her early days with pride. Jam along to the unique arrangement of the throwback hit above.

Cyrus recently released a new song called “Younger Now,” the title track of her new record. She and her family also hopped in the car together for an episode of Apple’s Carpool Karaoke, in which they, of course, sang “Achy, Breaky Heart” together. She’s back on The Voice this season as a coach, but this time she’s taking her dad, Billy Ray Cyrus, with her as an advisor.